South African veterans shed tears for the fallen

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, moving tributes were offered by members of the newly constituted SA Legion UK, joining millions across the country remembering the countless souls sacrificed in armed conflict.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, deeply moving tributes were offered by members of the newly constituted SA Legion UK, joining millions across the country remembering the countless souls sacrificed in armed conflict.

During the traditional two-minute silence members of the SA Legion in the UK stood to attention and saluted the memory of those lost at war and the memory of loved ones affected by war. It was clear from the depth of emotion on display that many of the proud veteran legionnaires were reliving their own poignant memories of comrades lost in the fog of battle.

Later, an honour roll of the eight known South African soldiers who’ve died while serving with British Armed Forces, under the Commonwealth, in Iraq and Afghanistan was read out. This sombre dedication was followed by prayers of remembrance.

In London, the parade at the Commonwealth Memorial Gate was brought to order by Sergeant Major, now Legionnaire (Lgr) Norman Sander, whilst former Captain now Lgr Peter Dickens, as officer commanding, reflected on the chilling accounts of two South African soldiers’ wartime experiences, one at Delville Wood in WW2 France, the other near Cuito Cuanevale in the Angola bush war. Although these events were separated by almost 70 years the young soldiers both bore witness to the harsh and devastating reality of armed conflict. Their graphic description of the devastating pain and suffering by the young men who died a slow death alongside them, on remote foreign battlefields, served as a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by so many soldiers over so many generations and in so many bloody battlefields, and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure freedoms that today we sometimes take for granted.

After a wreath-laying ceremony, bible and poetry readings the SA Legionnaires moved on to the Garden of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey where wooden memorial crosses denoting lost souls were solemnly placed in a dedicated South African Legion plot of remembrance under the colours of the newly formed SA Legion.

Speaking after the memorial event SA Legion co-chairman Lgr Dickens said, “It’s a first for the South African Legion to have a branch in the UK, and a first for an official and internationally recognised South African veterans body to participate in UK parades. We’ve been graciously and warmly welcomed by the Royal Commonwealth Ex Services League and The Royal British Legion, and have also established informal but strengthening ties with the Royal Naval Association and the Royal Chelsea hospital.”

Dickens added, “Although the South African veterans cannot yet participate in the Royal Legion’s national parade past the cenotaph in London, we [the association] are negotiating with the Royal Legion to develop much closer ties because it is our sincere intention to continue to build awareness of South African contributions to Britain’s recent conflicts whilst a part of the Commonwealth and of the South Africans who currently serve in the British Armed Forces. We will continue our talks with the various veterans associations in the UK, raise our profile and hopefully pave the way for further Legion parades in London to host all SA veterans, not only those who have served in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.”

An emotional Sander set out the justifications for his efforts to form the SA veterans group, “South Africans paid dearly fighting alongside, and even within British Armed Forces during WW1, WW2 the Korean War and now in Iraq and Afghanistan. Furthermore South Africans on both sides paid a heavy price during the ‘bush war’ in Angola and during the country’s armed insurrection.”

He also wanted to ensure people were aware that “young men and women still put themselves in harm’s way as part of peacekeeping operations in Africa. South Africa has a proud military tradition and it is our solemn duty and responsibility to honour those who served their country or the Commonwealth.”